Brief report on the education in emergency towards those who missed school in North Kivu DRCongo
Here is a report with pictures ” Report on Adult Education Centers in Nyiragongo
Report on the promotion of inclusive education in North Kivu
Together with our member organization the Center for Pedagogic Recuperation (CRP) which is offering education opportunities to students who dropped out of schools and those who for various reasons could not continue the normal education, and also activities towards Functional Adults Literature (FAL), we visited different centers and schools which host our students who want to continue with their education, on March 8th, 2024 both in Nyiragongo and in Goma.
Category of students we have in these centers
We have students who dropped out of school because of wars, insecurity and other consequences related to wars,
Students who dropped out because of poverty, they are either children living alone or their parents are extremely too poor,
Students dropped out of school because of the environment they lived in and now they want to continue.
Approach
We do combine two classes together and this helps a students to only make three (3) years to complete either primary level or another three (3) to complete the secondary level. Those in the terminal stages sit exams like other students in formal education and then after continue with their studies. CRP center is officially recognized by the Government and together we are working on expending this opportunity to adults especially refugees who have stayed over 30 years in DRC without going to school.
The schools and Centers we visited
We visited the following schools and centers which host our learners and students and this was in preparation of national text, which include: Heri and Nyiragongo Schools.
At Nyiragongo Primary School, which host Heri Recuperation Center, classes always start from 1:30 pm and stops at 4:30 pm every day. The center started the academic year 2023 – 2024 with 13 learners among them 10 girls and 3 boys, but currently during this second semester the center has now only 8 learners among them 3 boys and 5 girls. In this center there is a high number of girls than boys but also girls dropped out yet boys remained.
The reasons for drop out include
High level of poverty among the parents where children are obliged to look for many in order to survive at home,
A big number of the students are orphans who are also the head of families taking care of also their siblings,
Others are IDPs living in host families where conditions are not favorable for them to continue with studies,
Interventions
The head of the center has engaged the learners and their parents to contribute some money in order to continue running the activities but they keep on claiming that they do not have money that is why some have opted to drop out. The center is struggling with even the necessary equipment and lacks almost everything like Chalk, pens, books, allowances for the teachers,….The center rents the place and sometimes it is difficult to pay the money for the rent every month. The teachers are always at school working as volunteers and together with us they hope that we may get funds in order to address the challenges.
Opportunities
This center has the opportunity to offer education to a big number of young people who missed their education due to wars and other negative consequences, and especially that Nyiragongo also hosts many IDPs who have not yet accessed education over the years.
This center can be used as a model to promote education for all and inclusive education in the whole Province and therefore restore hope to millions of young people who are out schools currently,
Challenges
The Community perception towards education is still a problem the center has to address, the level of poverty among the parents is also another challenge to address and training of teachers in order to be able to handle the situation of the students,
The big problem remains funding which should help the center to function in a normal way and the necessity to advertise this as an alternative to formal education currently.
